Monday Governor Andrew Cuomo proposed that the state lower the penalties for those caught in public with marijuana.

The Governor said he would like the penalty for those caught with 25 grams or less of marijuana to be lessened from a Class B misdemeanor to a violation.

State Senator Michael Ranzenhofer said he disagrees with the Governor’s proposal. He said the law should stay the way it is.

“Everybody knows that marijuana is the gateway drug for more serious drugs, cocaine, heroine and we have a very very serious problem of drug abuse and drug addiction within our community and within our state,” said Ranzenhofer.

Ranzenhofer said he feels 25 grams of pot is an amount that shouldn’t be pushed under the rug.

“That’s quite a bit of marijuana, that’s not somebody who is having an occasional joint that’s somebody that’s a marijuana smoker and I believe that that’s the type of person that’s smoking marjianna today and then they’re going to go on to oxycodone, heroine or cocaine,” said Ranzenhofer.

Ranzenhofer said lessening the laws will make it tougher for the court system to help those with drug addiction.